“The same idea was said in a different way by Eric Hoffer, the old dock-walloper, in his book years ago titled The True Believer. Hoffer's theory was that the best fanatics are people who have nothing in their heads but wind, smoke, and emptiness. Then if any idea manages to slip in there, it does not matter how insipid or grotesque that idea might be, it will expand to fill all the available emptiness, and it takes over the individual and all his actions. He cannot hear any voice but his own. He is beyond reason, beyond argumentation. He is right and everyone who does not believe exactly the same as he is wrong.” IdeasReasonPoliticsBiasFanatics Book:Reading for Survival Source: Reading for Survival
“At times it seems as if arranging to have no commitment of any kind to anyone would be a special freedom. But in fact the whole idea works in reverse. The most deadly commitment of all is to be committed only to one's self. Some come to realize this after they are in the nursing home.” IfsKindIdeasSelfWholeFactsHomeSeemsWould BeRealizingRelationshipSpecialCommitmentCommittedReverseNursingArrangingNursing HomeNo Commitment Author:John D. MacDonald
“I am not suited to the role of going around selling the life-can-be-beautiful idea. It can be, indeed. But you don't buy the concept from your friendly door-to-door lecture salesman.” IdeasBeautifulRolesDoorsConceptsSellingFriendlyLecturesSalesman Author:John D. MacDonald
